Animal nutrition compositions and related methods

Abstract

Animal nutrition compositions include a carrier and a fermentation product applied to the carrier. Liquid fermentation products are fluidly applied to dry carriers, such as phyllosilicates or other earthen components, while mixing and applying air flow, under appropriate temperature and pH conditions, to bind the fermentation product to the carrier and dry the reaction product to appropriate moisture content. Fermentation products are also mixed with liquid carriers, such as water. Fermentation products include components of a microbial fermentation culture, such as liquid medium, microbial cellular components, and fermentation metabolites produced by microorganisms. Some compositions include a pH buffering agent and/or additional components to further enhance beneficial effects of the composition, such as improved weight gain and feed conversion, reduced gut lesions, harmful gut bacteria count, and decreased mortality. Compositions can be mixed with animal feeds or otherwise administered. Compositions can inhibit fungal growth on animal feeds.

I claim: 
     
       1. An animal nutrient composition, comprising:
 a combination product having a moisture content less than or equal to about 20%, by weight, the combination product comprising:
 a solid carrier comprising one or more (i) phyllosilicate(s), (ii) plant material(s), or (iii) plant extract(s); and 
 a microbial fermentation product adsorbed to a surface of the solid carrier and/or absorbed below the surface of the solid carrier, the microbial fermentation product comprising:
 lysed microorganisms; 
 fermentation medium; and 
 fermentation metabolites, 
 wherein les than about 50%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product comprises living or viable microorganisms. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein less than about 25%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product is living or viable microorganisms. 
     
     
       3. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein less than about 1%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product is living or viable microorganisms. 
     
     
       4. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial fermentation product comprises a whole culture lysate. 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lysed microorganisms are of  Lactobacillus acidophilus  and optionally one or more additional microbial species or strains. 
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial fermentation product further comprises aerobically produced metabolites or cellular metabolites produced aerobically. 
     
     
       7. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 15% by weight. 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 5% by weight. 
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 10% by weight. 
     
     
       10. The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffering agent mixed with the combination product, the buffering agent comprising one or more electrolytic substances selected from the group consisting of sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
       11. The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising granular or powdered sodium sesquicarbonate mixed with the combination product. 
     
     
       12. A method of manufacturing the composition of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the microbial fermentation product in liquid form to the solid carrier such that the fermentation product is adsorbed to the surface of the solid carrier and/or absorbed below the surface of the solid carrier; and 
 allowing the solid carrier with fermentation product applied thereto to at least partially dry, thereby producing the combination product having a moisture content less than or equal to about 20% by weight. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising
 cultivating a microbial fermentation culture, the microbial fermentation culture comprising the fermentation medium and microorganisms, and producing the fermentation metabolites; and 
 lysing at least some of the microorganisms in the microbial fermentation culture to produce the lysed microorganisms, wherein, following the step of lysing at least some of the microorganisms, less that about 50% of the microorganism of the microbial fermentation culture are living or viable. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein, following the step of lysing at least some of the microorganisms, less than about 25% of the microorganisms of the microbial fermentation-culture are living or viable. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein, following the step of lysing at least some of the microorganisms, less than about 1% of the microorganisms of the microbial fermentation culture are living or viable. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:
 maintaining the solid carrier with the fermentation product applied thereto at a temperature below about 60° C. for a first period of time; and 
 maintaining the carrier with the fermentation product applied thereto at a pH between about 2-10. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:
 mixing the solid carrier while applying the microbial fermentation product thereto; and 
 applying a flow of air to the solid carrier:
 (i) while applying the microbial fermentation product thereto and/or after applying the fermentation product thereto, and/or 
 (ii) over a period of time between about 12-120 hours and/or until the combination product has a moisture content less than or equal to about 20%, by weight. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A method comprising administering the composition of  claim 1  to an animal. 
     
     
       19. A method of inhibiting fungal growth on an animal feed product, the method comprising mixing or admixing the animal feed product with the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       20. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein less than about 10%, by weight, of biomass in the microbial fermentation product is living or viable microorganisms.